Grid research, rooted in distributed and high performance computing, started in mid-to-late 1990s. Soon afterwards, national and international research and development authorities realized the importance of the Grid and gave it a primary position on their research and development agenda. The Grid evolved from tackling data and compute-intensive problems, to addressing global-scale scientific projects, connecting businesses across the supply chain, and becoming a World Wide Grid integrated in our daily routine activities.
This book tells the story of great potential, continued strength, and widespread international penetration of Grid computing. It overviews latest advances in the field and traces the evolution of selected Grid applications. The book highlights the international widespread coverage and unveils the future potential of the Grid.